Choices
by Molly9
Summary: Sometimes things don't turn out the way you plan.


Choices By Molly  
  
Disclaimer: With the exception of the baby, they're not mine.  
Author's Notes: I'm going to mess up the timeline a little with this one-- the story begins nine months after Kim and Jason's return to Angel Grove for the Muranthius ordeal. For this story, let's assume that the Muranthius thing happened in 2002.  
  
**********************  
  
Orlando Memorial Hospital March 12th, 2003  
Kim slowly watched the Pitosin drip as she nervously rubbed her stomach. She had always thought that when this happened--this miraculous turning point in her life--that she wouldn't be doing it alone.  
  
Well...she wasn't totally alone. Her mother had flown down from Paris and her father from Seattle, along with her older brother Kyle. After all--her mother and father wouldn't miss the birth of their first grandchild for anything--no matter the circumstances; and Kyle was very thrilled to be an uncle. He had already bought the unborn baby several little gifts here and there. Kyle was five years older than her, but during this whole pregnancy he had really been her rock-even from several thousand miles away.  
  
Still, Kim's heart ached.  
  
This one is a day that should be the most happiest in all her life, along with her wedding day; which is most likely the event before the birth of one's first child; in Kim's case it was something she had yet to see.  
  
A knock on the door before it opened interrupted Kim's mental pity party for herself.  
  
"Hey.", she said as Kyle entered the room.  
  
"How are you feeling?", he asked gently.  
  
Kim shrugged. "They put me on Pitosin about an hour ago to induce the labor. According to the nurses, once I'm dilated to three centimeters, getting to ten comes pretty quick."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"What?", Kim asked as she regarded the shocked look on his face.  
  
"You're freaking huge."  
  
"Thanks!", Kim said sarcastically.  
  
"No; I mean, you're still tiny-but I saw you last week and you were big but not THIS big!" It was surreal for him seeing his petite sister with a very round, very pregnant stomach.  
  
"Yeah; well-it's Tommy's baby, so.", Kim trailed off.  
  
"Tommy has an average build; how does that contribute to the size of the baby?"  
  
"Not the size, silly; the baby was due a week ago! Olivers are always late.at least; Tommy was.", Kim turned away so that Kyle wouldn't see the tears forming in her eyes as she noted that last part.  
  
"I'm sorry Kim."  
  
"Why?", Kim asked, turning back around to face him. "You've been nothing but excellent to me during this entire pregnancy. You're going to be an awesome uncle; Kyle."  
Kyle smiled sympathetically. "Still; it's gotta be so hard for you-having a baby with the man you love and he's not even here."  
  
Kim looked away. She had almost asked him this question a million times before; yet she never had. "Kyle?"; Kim started.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Do you..do you think I should have told him?"  
  
Kyle took a deep breath and exhaled. "Kimber; I never told you what I thought about that because you never asked. It wasn't my business so I kept it to myself. But since you asked.yes. Yes I think you should have told him. I know you should have told him. If one of my ex-girlfriends were pregnant; I sure would want to know-whether I was happy with another woman or not. He has a right to know; what he does with the information afterwards is his choice-but you need the peace of mind knowing that it is out of your hands after you tell him."  
  
Kim nodded slightly. She knew he was right. "To be honest with you, Kyle; I never really intended on keeping the pregnancy from him. I've been so afraid to tell him.I know that if I told him he'd want to be an active part of the baby's life.and I'd constantly have to see him happy with another woman.I just don't know if my heart can take it."  
  
"Can your heart take seeing your child live their life without a father?" Kyle knew the blunt truth of his question, but also knew that it was something that had to be realized.  
  
"Every child deserves a father.it would be horrible to deny my baby that when Tommy would be such a good one."; Kim admitted as her throat tightened with threatening tears.  
  
"Then you have your answer."; Kyle said as he gave her hand a supportive squeeze.  
  
Kim nodded again, tears flowing silently down her cheeks.  
  
"On a happier note,"; Kyle started at an attempt to cheer his younger sister up; "you're giving birth to a healthy; and no doubt beautiful baby. So do you want a boy or a girl?"  
  
Kim smiled and rubbed her extended belly thoughtfully. "For some reason; I always thought that mine and Tommy's first child would be a boy.as far as what I want; well, I want a healthy baby. I don't care whether it's a boy or girl. Either would be wonderful."  
  
"That's the best way to look at it."  
  
Kim smiled. Despite the circumstance; the thought of meeting this miraculous life inside her filled her heart with pure joy.  
  
"Well, Kid;", Kyle started again, calling his sister by his nickname for her, "this day is going to turn out to be a happy one after a---" His voice stopped short by the sound of Kim's audible gasp; and the tightening of her grip around his hand.  
  
"Kim? Kim are you okay?", Kyle asked; a frantic note to his voice.  
  
Kim nodded; still wincing. Her breathing slowed down a bit; and finally; her grip on his hand loosened some. The sharp, shooting pain attacking her lower back and pelvis was beginning to ease up.  
  
"I think.I think I just had a contraction.Kyle-go get a nurse; I think the baby's coming!!"  
  
**********************  
  
It's time.  
  
Those were the only words echoing through Kim's mind. After Kyle went to flag down a nurse; she checked to see how much Kim had dilated; then came back with the epidural---very much to Kim's relief. She was never one for needles; but with the contractions coming quicker and stronger it was the lesser of two evils.  
  
It had been approximately forty five minutes upon receiving the epidural and it was now time.  
  
Time for the baby to be born.  
  
Tommy's baby; Kim thought as she hazily regarded the people around her; nurses whom she had become familiar with in the past couple of hours, Dr. Megan McCartney, her ob-gyn who had seen her through the past nine months, and her mother; at her side holding her hand.  
Kim turned her head to the opposite side at which her mother was standing. The side where Tommy should be standing; if he was here.how badly; in this moment, did she want him here..  
  
"Kimberly.", Dr. McCartney's gentle voice interrupted her inner hopes. Kim turned her head to meet the lady's blue green eyes full of knowledge and understanding. "It's time; Sweetheart. When I count to three; I'm going to need you to give me a good, hard push." The soothing voice of her doctor put Kim at ease and gave her confidence as she counted.  
  
".Three."  
  
Kim pushed as hard as she could. She was actually surprised at the lack of pain-the epidural had numbed her from the waist down; replacing excruciating pain with firm pressure.  
  
"Good Job Kimberly. Push again."  
  
Kim pushed once more; and a few times after that at the doctor's command. Kim watched; excited yet tiring quickly; as a smile lit up Dr. McCartney's face.  
  
"Quick, Kim; give me your hand.", she said gently; never losing her smile.  
  
Kim offered her right hand; the left being held by her mother, and outstretched it towards the doctor.  
  
She pulled Kim's hand lightly and guided it in between her legs and placed it softly upon a delicate, damp surface. The woman giggled quietly at Kim's perplexed expression.  
  
"That's your baby's head."  
  
Dr. McCartney's smile grew as Kim's expression changed from confusion to wonderment. She then released Kim's hand as the look on her face turned more serious. "Okay; Kimberly; I'm going to need you to give me a big push."  
  
Kim did so; and then exhaled with exhaustion.  
  
"Keep breathing; Kimberly-don't stop during the pushing."; the doctor coached.  
  
"You're doing great; sweetie.", Kim's mother, Caroline reassured her before kissing her head.  
  
Another smile lit Dr. McCartney's features. "The head is out; keep up the good work, Kim."  
  
Kim smiled with anticipation at the thought of soon seeing her baby's sweet little face.  
  
Dr. McCartney's expression turned stern once again. "We're at the shoulders now. You need to give me another very hard push. This is the most difficult push, but after that I should be able to pull the baby out with no problem. Are you ready?"  
  
Kim nodded. "Push now."; the doctor ordered.  
  
She pushed hard-until she thought she couldn't push any longer. Just when she was about to give up and succumb to exhaustion; a breathtakingly beautiful cry erupted in the atmosphere.  
  
"It's a girl!"; the doctor shouted with joy.  
  
Kim half laughed/half cried as she gazed lovingly at the tiny, red infant Dr. McCartney was holding up for them to see. A pang of guilt hit Kim as she watched the doctor cut the newborn's umbilical cord-it was something that the father typically did; and because of her, Tommy missed his chance.  
  
It seemed like an eternity had passed while they wiped the baby down with a cloth. Kim was bursting at the seams to hold her baby. She could hardly contain her excitement.  
  
"Mom! Mom-I have a daughter; it's a girl! Momma, isn't she perfect?", Kim said breathlessly; only half hearing her own words. She was too taken aback by the sight of her small baby.  
  
"Yes, Baby; she's perfect! Absolutely perfect." Mother and daughter held each other for a moment; both crying happy tears.  
  
Kim's doe brown orbs danced with sheer happiness as the nurse placed the crying, naked infant in her arms. "Shhh, Angel; Mommy's here.", Kim soothed the newborn softly.  
  
The baby ceased her tears upon the sound of her mother's voice and the caresses against her silky smooth; brand new cheek. "Hello my little Princess; happy birthday.welcome to the world.", Kim said in an almost- whisper, now stroking the newborn's caramel peach fuzz.  
  
She reveled in the amazing feel of her daughter in her arms. She knew it would be fantastic; but never imagined it would be like this. The petite bundle seemed so real to her now; now that she was something tangible to touch and hold and kiss. She dropped her head to gently nuzzle the baby's face, whispering words of love as the infant cooed tiny noises of comfort.  
  
"Do you mind if we borrow her from you for a few minutes?"  
  
Kim snapped out of her blissful reverie to see a nurse standing at her bedside.  
  
The nurse smiled. "We need to take her to the nursery to announce her arrival to her family; and to weigh and bathe her; as well as give her a checkup."  
  
"When will I get her back?", Kim said; now experimenting her first wave of motherly protectiveness. She was not ready to let her baby out of her sight so quickly after receiving her.  
  
The nurse's smile remained; having seen many new mothers' reactions to having their babies whisked away so soon. "In about 45 minutes to an hour we will be back in here with your little one so you can feed her; we'll bring some bottles with formula and there will be a nurse in here to give you some breastfeeding pointers if that is what you choose. In the meantime, you need to rest. You've just given birth; your body's been through an ordeal. In the next couple of days you'll need all the rest you can get."  
  
Kim nodded, and reluctantly allowed her baby to be taken out of her arms; much to the infant's wail of disapproval. This time her cries caused Kim's heart to ache; no sooner had her baby girl left the room with the nurse than she couldn't wait to have her back in her arms again.  
  
"Honey; you'll see your baby soon enough. They're trained doctors and nurses, she's in good hands.", Caroline soothed as if she had read Kim's mind.  
  
"I know. I'm being silly; aren't I?" Kim regarded her mother with a smile.  
  
"No, Darling; I was the same way when both you and Kyle were born. The maternal instincts and the over-protectiveness kick in quicker than you would ever expect they would. It happens to all new mothers."  
  
"I never thought I could love someone so much so soon.", Kim confessed.  
  
"It's a beautiful thing; experiencing the birth or your baby.", Caroline said. "The love you have for your child will surpass anything on this earth."  
  
Kim yawned suddenly. Her mother had put her at ease a great deal; and this was the first time she had felt tired since her last push. She just now realized her body coming down off the high of seeing her baby.  
  
"Get some sleep; Sweetheart. I'm going to watch my granddaughter being welcomed into her family. ", Caroline said smiling; and then left after giving Kim a quick kiss on the cheek and a hug.  
**************************  
  
"Guess I'll have to take back the soccer ball."  
  
Kim awoke to her brother joking by her bedside.  
  
"Hey there Kid.", Kyle greeted his sister. "I could have sworn up and down you'd have a boy!"  
  
"So could I. But I'm so very glad to have a girl-now that she's here I couldn't imagine her a boy."  
  
A knock on the door signaled a nurse coming in. "Hi Mommy; I missed you!", the nurse called out as if speaking for the baby. Kim immediately sat up in her bed; all too anxious to see her little one.  
  
The nurse wheeled the plastic crib over to Kyle, who scooped up the swaddling infant immediately and handed her to Kim.  
  
"Oh look, Kyle; they put bows in her hair!", Kim exclaimed as she admired two tiny pink satin bows fixed atop the infant's head, nestled on top of the baby-soft caramel fuzz on each side.  
  
"She's gorgeous, Kimber. Even the nurses said she was the most adorable baby in the nursery.", Kyle doted on his new niece. All Kimberly could do is beam.  
  
She turned once again to look at the infant in her arms that she could barely take her eyes away from. The tiny whimpers her baby girl had made at first quieted as she opened her eyes to look up at her mother with contentment.  
  
Kim bit her quivering lip as tears threatened to careen over her eyelids. Those eyes..she knew them so well yet she was seeing them in someone so new.  
  
Kyle noticed her distress immediately. "Kim.what's wrong?"  
  
Kimberly shook her head as if to shake away the threatening tears. "Her eyes.they're Tommy's.she has her father's eyes." Kim stared at the familiar pair of chocolate brown orbs that were so much like the ones that read her soul so long ago. Her heart beat both with exuberant joy and aching need all at the same time.  
  
"And her mouth..", Kimberly finished. "her mouth---it's Tommy's through and through." These obvious details of resemblance Kim had not noticed amidst all the excitement of her baby's birth. "Oh Kyle; she looks just like him! Gorgeous, just like her daddy." Kim couldn't contain her tears any longer.  
  
Kyle held Kim as she sobbed. "No, she doesn't totally look like him. She most definitely has your button nose. And she weighed in at six pounds and twelve ounces, nineteen and a half inches long; so she inherited your petite build. As for her hair; well, it's hard to tell-yours and Tommy's hair color are so similar. Hers seems to be straight like yours though; wasn't Tommy's a bit wavy?"  
  
Kim nodded. "Yes, it was some. I'm so thrilled that she has his eyes and his mouth-I always adored Tommy's eyes especially."  
  
"You're forgetting something, Kid.", Kyle said with a grin.  
  
"What's that?", Kim asked as she regarded her older brother's impish grin with confusion.  
  
"Well you can't just call her "Angel" and "Princess" all her life-you've got to give her a name!", Kyle announced with a snicker.  
  
"Oh my gosh!! You are so right---I haven't even thought of that!", Kimberly exclaimed.  
  
"Of course, I am quite fond of 'Baby Girl Hart'.", Kyle joked.  
  
Kimberly giggled. "No-I have the perfect name for her.", Kim said.  
  
***************************  
  
"This is the perfect place.", Tommy said as he and Kim lounged on a blanket together at their special place by the duck pond.  
  
"The perfect place for what?", Kim asked, smiling.  
  
"For our wedding.", Tommy said as he took her hand in his own and stroked the top of her palm.  
  
Kim sat up, startled. "Our wedding?!"  
  
Tommy shrugged. "Yeah.you will be my wife someday; won't you?" He asked as he gave her _that _ smile-the one that was just for her. "At least; I hope you will be."  
  
Kim was beaming-Tommy had told her he loved her many times and said some pretty romantic things from time to time; but never anything to let her know that he someday wanted the ultimate commitment.  
  
"Yes, I would love to be your wife..someday."  
  
It was now Tommy's turn to beam. "I thought maybe we could get married after we graduate, and I get enough money to open up my own dojo so I can support you and the kids."  
  
Kim laughed. "The 'kids'? We just now talked about getting married and now we've already got kids?"  
  
"Don't you want children?"  
  
"Of course!", Kim said as she kissed him sweetly on the lips. Her heart was pounding from finally getting the conversation she had dreamed of with him- finally they were planning their future. Although nothing was set in stone; it was a start. "  
  
"I bet you want a boy, huh?", Kim asked him.  
  
Tommy shrugged. "A boy would be fun; all I really care about as that they're healthy; but what I really want is a daughter-a little girl that looks just like you."  
  
His answer shocked Kim to no end. "Really? I thought for sure you'd want a little boy to teach martial arts to."  
  
"I can teach martial arts to a girl just as easily.", Tommy said.  
  
"I've always wanted a daughter. Girls are so much fun to shop for."  
  
Tommy laughed. "Another little shopaholic-I better open up two dojos!"  
  
"Hey!", Kim said as she tickled the sides of his stomach, making him laugh harder. The tickling turned to soft caresses as she regarded him thoughtfully.  
  
"So..what do we name this little martial artist with a knack for shopping?" Kim said. They were both having so much fun fantasizing about their future together.  
  
"Kairi.", Tommy said with a grin.  
  
"Kairi.that's pretty. I've never heard that name before."  
  
"Back when I lived in Arizona before we came to Angel Grove, I was a part- time instructor at this dojo in Phoenix. There was this little girl in my class; a little Japanese girl-she was so cute. Her name was Kairi. Out of everyone in the class, she was the best, even over all the boys. She was eight years old, and the only girl in a class full of nine and ten year old boys, so they gave her a lot of flack at first. But then one day she got tired of it, and, well, let's just say they didn't give her a hard time anymore. "  
  
Kim laughed at his story. "She sounds like such an amazing little girl, Tommy."  
  
"She was. I always had a great time with her in my class.", Tommy said as he tucked one of Kim's stray caramel tresses behind her ear affectionately. "Anyways, I always thought if I had a daughter; I'd want to name her Kairi."  
  
**********************  
  
Kim's mind drifted back in the present, a tear sliding down her cheek as she looked at her baby girl-the baby girl Tommy always wanted.  
  
The daughter he had but didn't know it.  
  
She knew she had to tell him. Not only that; she _wanted _ to tell him. Their baby was so beautiful, so perfect in such a way that she could not keep this tiny bundle of sheer bliss to herself. She had to share her daughter, and was more than willing to do so.  
  
She could not do her daughter the injustice of not knowing her father; and she could no longer be unfair to Tommy.  
  
"Uh, Kim?", Kyle asked  
  
Kim's head jerked up at the sound of her brother's voice-she was so deep in her thoughts she had forgotten that he was there; that they were discussing something.  
  
"I'm sorry; what was it?", Kim fumbled.  
  
"The perfect name..for the baby.", Kyle said with a smile; hoping his sister would catch on.  
  
"Oh!!", Kim exclaimed. "The perfect name; gotcha." Kim said, then turned to look at her baby.  
  
"Kairi. Her name is Kairi"  
  
************************  
Author's Notes: First thing's first : Thank you so much to everyone who helped give me pointers with this chapter. You guys are great. (  
  
Also, every part of the story pertaining to labor and delivery I did not get from personal experience, but from watching many; and I do mean many, episodes of A Baby Story, as well as my own imagination on what it would be like to have my own baby-so to all you moms out there; I hope I did that miraculous experience justice.  
  
And for anyone who's wondering; "Kairi" is pronounced "Kye-REE".  
  
Also, the reasons Kim has for not telling Tommy about the pregnancy are very real and will be made more clear in the upcoming chapters; as well as the details involving the baby's conception.  
  
Last but not least, please, please, pretty please with a cherry on top; REVIEW!!!! I will try my best to get back to EVERYONE as soon as possible. So, if you liked it, tell me why; if you didn't; tell me why.you know the drill!!  
  
Thank you,  
  
Molly 


End file.
